Discussions By Condition: Medical Errors

Too fat to breathe properly

To preface my story, I would like to say that I have been obese or morbidly obese for most of my life. I don't go to the doctor unless I feel something is SERIOUSLY WRONG because of the knee-***k reaction I get every time.

I went to the doctor feeling the onset of breathing problems like I've never known. My chart did say that I had asthma, but I had been maxing out on the daily use of my inhaler and I was still having difficulty which had never happened before. I went in and I saw some ******e who said that because I was fat that I didn't have the same breath capacity of skinny people and he gave me samples and sent me on my merry way.

I came back a few days later and he said the same thing and didn't do ANY tests. I was really starting to sound bad and I was literally choking on myself and coughing up a large volume of liquid.

The third time I went (and this was my 3rd copay so I had already paid $40 to have someone tell me that I was to fat to breathe) I asked for a different pysician entirely. She listened to my breathing and took X-rays of my chest. Lo and behold, I have pneumonia. It could have been caught the first day I went in but I had gotten to see a doctor who obviously assumes losing weight solves everyone's problems.

15 Replies:

The answer is surely in your post - find a way to get closer to a healthy weight. its not so hardI suggest eating only what people had access to 5000 years ago - this means mostly veg, a little meat, a little fish and no diary. Some pulses and some friut. This is what we are designed to run on so it must be right. Modern diet, full of sugar, additives, dairy etc etc is not at all healthy and causes all kinds of problems. try it and watch the weight fall off. Good luck!

I have no idea what caused your weight problem, but if you have tried loosing weight and are among the many who have given up because nothing seems to work you should check out if you are insulin resistant (IR). If you are IR the only diet that would work is high protein low carb. It can still be a very enjoyable way to eat. I may not have a big weight problem, but if I eat carbs i just pack the weight on and cant loose it unless I near starve myself. You have my full understanding. I have been IR for years but totally ignored by doctors so not permitted to have the necessary tests I asked for.Visit www.womentowomen.com this site may be very helpful to you and a good read.A GTT will test for insulin resistance. If you don't have the condition I would be very surprised, it is just finding out its severity. Most doctors dont realise the terrible implications of IR. Your story is typical of most peoples attitude of those very over weight and how dangerous it is; loose weight get exercise is not always the go and it is not that simple. I am just glad you got help in time. All the best.searchingsam

MY mother in law is over weight, and has tried and tried to lose some weight. Then last year, she couldn't breath very well, so she went to a doctor and he said that it was because she was over weight. I find that very rude and a very unproper way to treat anyone. She had to go to a couple different doctors before they found out that she has asthma. Then they decided to do a sleep test, and lo and behold she has sleep apnea. So once she gets the meds and the proper equipment for her problems, she has now lost a total of 40lbs in the last month and a half. I think that the first doctor who spoke with her was too a ***k and yes sometimes losing weight will help you breath easier, but it is NOT ALWAYS the solution. I think all doctors who just blow it of to your weight should go back to medical school. They are actually causing more damage then good. I feel so sorry for all that you have had to go through. It is a sad thing to not get proper medical help because of one ingnorant doctor. I hope you the best.

Modern diet, full of sugar, additives, dairy etc etc is not at all healthy and causes all kinds of problems. try it and watch the weight fall off. Good luck! A "paleo diet" would more importantly also help your breathing. this is the diet described further up in the post: the substantial protein and low carb diet would help the pound come off. I know as I lost 65 lbs on a similar diet 8 years ago. And recently found out I was gluten sensitive which is another term for gluten intolerant. No gluten? no excess weight, no breathing problems, don't need my inhaler any more, no sleep apnea, no anxiety, no leg spasms, no muscular cramping, less need for thyroid medication, no neck pain, no back pain, no gas, no stomach discomfort,..... relief- finally. What ever you do, be sure to drink at least 1/2 your weight in ounces of water every single day. This alone will make the most significant change in your current condition that you can imagine. Here's hoping you feel better soon,L

Hello everyone. For my GCSE coursework in Home Economics, my class is focusing on the issue of obesity. It would be really helpful to me if anyone here who has overcome obesity or still suffers from it would be willing to be intervied by me on their experience. It's a very sensitive topic and I would be forever grateful if any of you are willing to help me. Please reply as soon as possible, Thank - you.

Why is it people can't accept that obesity is a health problem? If your transmission was going out would you want your mechanic to ingore it just because it might hurt your feelings? no, you wouldn't, so why do people get upset when doctors talk about their weight? Easy solution, stop stuffing the face and you won't have to hear about it.

Most common cause: obesityDear Misdiagnosed, Hello I am a healthcare provider and I have heard inappropriate comments often about people who are overweight. I hope you were able to report that provider to the manager or authority of some type. I find doing this in writing allows you the time to express yourself and not have emotions get in the way of getting your point across and cc a copy to several people in authority positions. I had been misdiagnosed with a chronic pain disease and treated as if I was a drug seeker for 3 weeks before I found out I had a large internal abscess. I wrote a letter and recieved a call from the ceo and felt like my situation was handled appropriately. I also am overweight and I find myself dismissed in docters appointments often and it is always assumed I have diabetes which I do not. Now that I am a health care provider myself I find docters do not give me this treatment. I wish you the best of luck and quick recovery.

Most of the answers to her post seem to mirror her doctor's treatment of her. What I read in her post is that because she is obese, her doctor failed to diagnosis or treat her as he would a thin patient. Happens too often.

you also have to careful about drink a lot of water or other liquids. People with heart or kidney failure actually have to limit their intake and weigh themselves everyday. Also, what frustrates doctors is that so many lives would be improved by weight loss. When they see someone who has been advised to lose weight still obese, they feel that the patient doesn't really care about their health. what can help at the doctors' offices: emphasize that this day is DIFFERENT from all of the the other. I.E. "This got really bad SUDDENLY yesterday. it is now unbearable This is definitely different." This lets the doc know that the problem cannot possibly be caused by obesity because of the acute onset. Then don't leave until there is a resolution such as further tests, new meds, or a REALLY good explanation.Then: start conditioning your body. Not necessarily weight loss at first. Small changes like a short after-dinner walk, 3/4th the normal suar and cream in the coffee, 1-2 sweets per week instead of 4-5. You have to able to live like this so take it slow and make sure you can sustain the change. Who cares if it takes many months if you start feeling better in the next week. Take a good multivitamin. The cruel irony is that most obese people are nutritionally deficient. They then feel more tired and aren't motivated to move more. If you can, lift weights. This will increase your muscle mass and therefore your basal metabolic rate which is where most calories are burned anyway. Good luck! And be nicer to yourself.

Most common cause: obesityHow sad---The persistent harping on the weight issue rather than that the physician didn't bother to examine his patient and think beyond the obvious. I have a good friend who is a big girl and has some health issues. Everytime she goes to her primary care physician, he blames all of her troubles on her weight. No one wakes up and thinks "Oh goody-I'm fat". Obesity is rarely just a case of eating too much. There are usually other physical issues (e.g. insulin resistance, hypothyroidism, medications, etc.) and psychologial issues (e.g. self esteem, a prior traumatic experience, poor coping tools, etc.)Just because someone has a weight issue does not excuse the health care provider and from examining their patient and honestly looking for a diagnosis. There is a reason that in the medical professions it is common to use the phrase, "If you hear hooves, think zebras not horses".